Bottle case



Jan. 9, 1951 R. H. BRADY ET AL BOTTLE CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1,1947 INVENTO ROBERT H. BRA

EMIL O. BIRKNER BY 1951 R. H. BRADY ET AL 2,537,299

BOTTLE CASE Filed May 1, 1947 2 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTORS- ROBERT H. BRADYEMIL OBIRKNER ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES A'T ENToFFicE BOTTLE CASE Application May 1, 1947, SerialNofi' lillO 6 Claims.

fThis'inventi'on'r'elates to a certain new and use- {i111 improvement incases for the shipping and handling. of beer bottles, soda-waterbottles, and the like.

'Our'invention has for its chief object the provision of a bottle-caseor the like uniquely constructed for enabling separation quickly, con--venie'ntly, and with little labor of the contained bottles and -case.

our invention has for another object the provision of a bottle-case orthe like having a solid r'emovabl'ebottom member for normally supportingcontained bottle's'and shiftable for bottle-registration for enablingready removal of the case from about such bottles.

(Bur invention has for a further object the provision of a bottle-caseof the type and for the purpose stated which is simple in structure,which may be easily and cheaply constructed, and which is efficient inthe performance of its intended. functions.

And with the above and other objects in view, our invention resides inthe novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combinationof parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (two sheets) Figure 1 En top'perspectiveview of a bottlecase embodying our invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are bottom perspective views respectively showing thecase with the removable bottom in place and removed; I

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the removable bottom member;

Figures 5 and 6 are sectional views of the case taken approximately onthe respective line 5-5 of Figure 1, respectively showing the case withthe removable bottom member in place and partially removed;

Figure '7 is a sectional view of the case taken approximately on theline 1-1 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken approximately on the line 88of Figure 1; and

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a bottle-case ofour invention, illustrating the interlocking engagement between theremovable bottom member and the bottom-retaining ways.

Referring now more in detail and by'reference characters to thedrawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of our invention, thecase A is generally in the form of a rectangular-oblong box-likestructure or shell and includes spaced parallel rigid companion sidewalls I, spaced parallel rigid companion end walls I, and a plu- 2ra-lity-oif interlocked "grid-forming partitions 2 of Wood or othersuitable material-permanentlyfixed together in any suitable manner.

Extending flatwise along the lower marginal portion of the outer faceof, and suitably fixed to, the side walls 'I are metallic strips orsections 3, 3, which are of such size or dimensions as to extend belowthe plane of the lower margin of the side walls I and. end walls I" andfor lateral marginal bendin'g'to*provide righvangular end-flanges 4, 4,and right-angular sideo'r bottom-flanges 5, 5, providing a pair ofopposing open-end slide-ways -6, 6, for slidably receiving a'pre'ferablysolid bottom-member "-1 provided with linger holes I and having athickness substantially smaller than the vertical height of the ways '6.Rigidly secured upon the opposite endsof the way-forming flanges 5, 5,are stopblocks .8 having a height substantially smaller than the heightof the ways, the space between the top surface of the'blocks'fi and thedownwardly presented edgeface of the side walls it being somewhatgreater than the thickness of the bottom'member .1.

The bottom member "I :normally complements the case side and end wallsI, l" ,'fits'more or less :snug'lywithinthe ways 6, as best seen inFigures "5, 6, and 7, "being 'complementarilycut out at its fourcorners, 'as'at f9,rfor fitting around the stop 'blockslii; and beingthereby *removablyaor shiftably confined in closure-forming positionwithin the ways 6. When the bottom member 1 is in such normal position,the bottles B, for which the particular case is designed, rest on, andare supported in the case by, the bottom member I, as best seen inFigures 5 and 6. The case may then be employed in shipping and handlingas conveniently and efiiciently as present-day solid, permanent bottomcases, removal of its contained bottles B or accidental displacement ofthe bottom member 1 bein obviated by the stop blocks 8. One or more orall of the contained bottles B may be removed upwardly from the case forconsumption of the contents thereof. To remove all the several containedbottles B, filled or empty, the filled or partially filled case isplaced upon a table, conveyor, or other place of support, as at l0,Figure 6, and the bottom member I manually tilted and endwise shifted toride over a pair of the end blocks 8, permitting the bottles B to dropdown and rest upon the support ll, whereupon the case may be bodilyelevated, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 6, from about thebottles B. The bottom member I may be readily returned to normal, seatedposition and the emptied case is ready for refilling,

The case fulfills in every respect the objects stated, and it is to beunderstood that changes and modifications in the form, construction,arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the case may bemade and substituted for those herein shown and described withoutdeparting from the nature and principle of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a bottle-case, an open-topped and hottomed box-like shellincluding connected side and end walls, means comprising a rail joinedto each of said walls and marginally flanged in the provision of aslide-way, a rectangular bottom panel slidably and removably mounted insaid ways and being cut out in at least one of its corners in theformation of a recess, and means rigidly mounted on at least one of theways for optionally interlocking with said recess to preventunauthorized removal of the bottom panel.

2. In a bottle-case, an open-topped and bottomed box-like shellincluding connected side and end walls, means comprising a rail joinedto each of said walls and marginally flanged in the provision of aslide-way, a rectangular bottom panel slidably and removably mounted insaid Ways and being cut out on its four corners in the formation of arecess, and means rigidly mounted in the ways for optionallyinterlocking with said recess to prevent unauthorized removal of thebottom panel.

3. In a bottle-case, an open-topped and bottomed box-like shellincluding connected side and end walls, means comprising a rail joinedto each of said walls and marginally flanged in the provision of aslide-way, block members mounted in the ends of the slide-way, a bottompanel slidably and removably mounted in said slide-Way and being cut outon each of the four corners in the formation of a recess forinterlocking co-operation with said block members to preventunauthorized removal of the bottom panel.

4. In a bottle-case, an open-topped and bottomed box-like shellincluding connected side and end walls, means comprising a rail joinedto each of said side Walls and marginally flanged in the provision of aslide, a block member mounted at each end of each slide, the upper faceof said block being spaced from the underside of the side walls, arectangular bottom panel having a thick ness less than the distancebetween the upper face of the block and the underside of the side walls,said bottom panel being slidably and removably mounted in said slidesand being cut out on each of its four corners in the formation of arecess for optionally interlocking co-operation with the blocks toprevent unauthorized removal of the bottom panel.

5. In a bottle-case, an open topped and bottomed box-like shellincluding connected side and end walls, means comprising a rail joinedto each of said walls and marginally flanged in the provision of aslide-way, a rectangular bottom panel slidably and removably mounted insaid ways and being cut out on at least two corners in the formation ofrecesses, and means rigidly mounted in the ways for optionallyinterlocking with said recesses to prevent unauthorized removal of thebottom panel.

6. In a bottle-case, an open-topped and bottomed box-like shellincluding connected side and end walls, means comprising a rail joinedto each of said Walls and marginally flanged in the provision of aslide-way, a rectangular bottom panel slidably and removably mounted insaid ways and being cut out on its four corners in the formation of arecess at each such corner, and means rigidly mounted in the ways foroptionally interlocking with said recesses to prevent unauthorizedremoval of the bottom panel.

ROBERT H. BRADY. EMIL O. BIRKNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain June 8, 1895

